[Lane, Hugh / Costello, John A.] Bodkin, Thomas.Hugh Lane and his Pictures. [With manuscript letter by Taoiseach John A. Costello to Lady Douglas]. Dublin, Stationery Office, 1956.. 8°. XV, 96 pages and 51 Plates with explanations. Original Hardcover with illustrated dustjacket in protective Mylar. Excellent condition with only minor signs of wear to the dustjacket. Bodkin's account of the scandal over Sir Hugh Lane's pictures in an edition commissioned and signed by the Irish Taioseach, John A Costello from 1956. A manuscript letter with letterhead "Roinn an Taoisigh / Department of the Taoiseach" is laid in from Costello with a hand written address to ''Dear Lady Douglas' and the revised date of '11th December' 1956. The letter reads: "Dear Lady Douglas - This book brings an old sad story up to date but does not finish it. I offer it to you in the confident hope that, when you have read it, you will want to do all you can to help the story to a happy ending. Sincerly Yours John A.Costello".' Additionally Costello has added a manuscript dedication to the first blank page: 'To Lady Douglas - With Compliments from John A Costello.' University College Dublin holds an extensive correspondence between Costello and the book's author Thomas Bodkin about the scandal of Lane's pictures which became a major preoccupation for Costello.. Sir Hugh Percy Lane (9 November 1875 - 7 May 1915) is best known for establishing Dublin's Municipal Gallery of Modern Art (the first known public gallery of modern art in the world) and for his remarkable contribution to the visual arts in Ireland, including the Lane Bequest. He died on board the RMS Lusitania. Hugh Percy Lane was born in County Cork, Ireland on 9 November 1875. He was brought up in Cornwall, England, and began his career as an apprentice painting restorer and later became a successful art dealer in London. Through regular visits to Coole (near Gort), County Galway, the home of his aunt, Lady Gregory, Lane remained in contact with Ireland. He soon counted among his family, friends and social circle those who collectively formed the core of the Irish cultural renaissance in the early decades of the 20th century. Extolling the cause of Irish art abroad, Lane also became one of the foremost collectors and dealers of Impressionist paintings in Europe, and amongst those outstanding works purchased by him for the new gallery were La Musique aux Tuileries by Manet, Sur la Plage by Degas, Les Parapluies by Renoir and La Cheminee by Vuillard. The Municipal Gallery of Modern Art opened in January 1908 in temporary premises in Harcourt Street, Dublin. Lane hoped that Dublin Corporation would run it, but the corporation was unsure if it would be financially viable. Lane did not live to see his gallery permanently located as he died in 1915 during the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, off the west coast of Cork, the county of his birth. The Gallery, extended in 2005, is now in Parnell Square in central Dublin. For his "services to art" in Ireland, Lane was knighted in June 1909 at the comparatively young age of 33. Controversy over the Lane Bequest Following his death, his will bequeathed his collection to London, but an unwitnessed later codicil bequeathed it to Dublin. Having possession, London's National Gallery did not recognise the codicil. At the request of Lane's aunt, Lady Gregory, WT Cosgrave, leader of the Irish Government unsuccessfully approached Ramsay MacDonald on the matter in 1929. When John A. Costello became Taoiseach in 1948, he initiated further negotiations with the UK government, eventually leading to a compromise in 1959, under Taoiseach Sean Lemass, whereby half of the Lane Bequest would be lent and shown in Dublin every five years. In 1993 the agreement was varied so that 31 of the 39 paintings would stay in Ireland. The remaining 8 were divided into 2 groups, so that 4 would be lent for 6 years at a time to Dublin. These 8 include works by Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Morisot, Vuillard and Degas. In 2008 The National Gallery in London arranged for the entire collection to be on display in Dublin together for the first time. There was a switch in May 2013 for a six-year period. (Wikipedia)

Hal ClementThe Ranger Boys in Space; Cycle of Fire (2 Books) Boston, MA USA: L. C. Page and Company, 1956. Signed, 2 Books, The Ranger Boys in Space, Cycle of Fire , First Edition, First Printing, Ex Library, Hard Covers, L. C. Page and Company, Boston, USA, 1956; Ballantine Books, New York, 1957.The Ranger Boys in Space, Book Condition: Near Fine with a Very Good Dust Jacket. The original price ($2.75) is on the Dust Jacket. This book is in exceptional condition for an ex-library with only 2 small stamps showing. The Dust Jacket has some chipping at top of spine and front cover, some closed tears on Dust Jacket edges (request to see additional photos).Cycle of Fire, Book Condition: Good with a Good Dust Jacket. The original price ($2.75) is on the Dust Jacket. This book is in good condition for an ex-library with usual library stamps and markings. The Dust Jacket has some chipping at top of spine and front cover, some closed tears on Dust Jacket edges (request to see additional photos).Both are signed "Hal Clement" (Harry C. Stubbs)These are 2 of Hal Clement's rarest books making this a highly sought after and collectible set of books.Contact seller for further details.All books bubble wrapped and boxed for shipping. **Oversize & Heavy Items may require additional postage.

(ABBOTT, George and Douglass Wallop)[Photo Album]: Damn Yankees , [1956] [1956]. First. Two volumes. Red leatherette photograph albums. Chipping at the spinal extremities of the binding, very good or better. A collection of 46 different 5" x 7" photographs, most likely professional, from a production of the musical Damn Yankees at the National Theatre in Washington D.C., (where the fate of the hapless Senators in the play would have been of more than passing interest). This production starred Sherry O'Neil as Lola and Bobby Clark in the vaudeville veteran's final stage role as Mr. Applegate. Two pictures are of the outside of the theater, the rest of the images are mostly either of baseball scenes or of the scantily clad (by 1950s standards) Lola and Joe Hardy (actor Allen Case) in the locker room. Unique. .

ABBOTT, George and Douglass Wallop)Photo Album]: Damn Yankees 1956 - Two volumes. Red leatherette photograph albums. Chipping at the spinal extremities of the binding, very good or better. A collection of 46 different 5" x 7" photographs, most likely professional, from a production of the musical *Damn Yankees* at the National Theatre in Washington D.C., (where the fate of the hapless Senators in the play would have been of more than passing interest). This production starred Sherry O'Neil as Lola and Bobby Clark in the vaudeville veteran's final stage role as Mr. Applegate. Two pictures are of the outside of the theater, the rest of the images are mostly either of baseball scenes or of the scantily clad (by 1950s standards) Lola and Joe Hardy (actor Allen Case) in the locker room. Unique. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]

Grass, GunterDie Vorzüge der Windhühner Berlin:: Luchterhand,, 1956. Berlin: Luchterhand, 1956. First Edition of the author's first book. Octavo. Fine in illustrated wrappers as issued. Signed by the author.German novelist Gunter Grass is the recipient 1965 Georg Büchner Prize, the 1999 Prince of Asturias Awards, and the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature, which was bestowed on Grass for him "whose frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history." Die Vorzüge der Windhühner is Grass' first publication and marks the beginning of a highly influential career amongst the German-Swedish Academy and abroad.

Staff Of "aireview"GERMAN MILITARY AIRCRAFT IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR [2 VOL. SET] Kanto-Sha 1956 Previous owner's name and stamp on front endpaper; One book in English, the other in the original Japanese. The latter edition includes all the illustrations and two fold-outs. Contemporary ads. Nice, helpful pen notes that help to find the according illustration in the Japanese volume ; 8vo; 126, 324 pages

Clarke, Arthur CTHE CITY AND THE STARS New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company,, [1956]. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company,. [1956]. boards.. A fine copy in bright, very good or better dust jacket with some age-. tanning (mostly internal) and 13 mm closed tear near bottom edge of. front flap fold. Presents well overall. (#148254). First edition. A completely revised and expanded version of Clarke&#39;s first published novel, AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT (1948; 1953). "Arthur C. Clarke&#39;s 2001 (1968) is one of the most famous computer stories, but his THE CITY AND THE STARS (1956) may well be the profound artistically successful work of cybernetic fiction ... [It] is one of the most remarkable accomplishments of the imagination in all the literature that I am considering. Beyond imagining how computers might transform a society, Clarke also dramatizes the philosophical implications of life in a totally structured society. The novel is even more deserving of commendation because it is an early cybernetic novel, and computers and information theory were recent developments when it was written." - Warrick, The Cybernetic Imagination in Science Fiction, pp. 166-70. This novel "is perhaps his most characteristic and most enduring." - Survey of Science Fiction Literature I, pp. 374-7. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-245. Pringle, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels 22.

Kennedy, John FProfiles In Courage New York:: Harper,, 1956. New York:: Harper,, 1956.. First edition. Octavo, original half cloth. Inscribed by the author to Massachusetts Senator Leverett Saltonstall, "To Senator Saltonstall- with the very highest regards of his colleague John Kennedy". Leverett Saltonstall was the senior senator of Massachusetts while, John Kennedy was the junior senator. An excellent copy in a bright near fine dust jacket. Saltonstall served as Republican Whip from 1949-1957 and as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 1953-1955. Saltonstall attended the wedding of John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953, and the two served together in the Senate from 1953 to 1960. Saltanstall and Kennedy worked together closely over the course of several years, as evidenced of one of their constituents thought the two had an even closer relationship, mistakenly assuming Saltonstall to be Kennedy's uncle. "If you are ready to admit it," Kennedy kidded in a 1963 letter, "I am." An excellent association copy. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

Kennedy, John:PROFILES IN COURAGE New York. 1956.. New York. 1956.. xix,266pp. Blue cloth with black cloth spine, gilt. Light edge wear. Presentation inscription on front fly leaf. Very good. Lacks the dust jacket. In a blue morocco slipcase, spine gilt. Later printing of this famous work, which won Kennedy the Pulitzer Prize. The front fly leaf is inscribed in Kennedy&#39;s hand: "To my former boss Louis Ruppel - with warmest regards, John Kennedy." Louis Ruppel was the associate editor of the AMERICAN WEEKLY newspaper in New York. Kennedy previously worked for Ruppel as a reporter, and maintained a warm relationship with him as his political career took off.

WILSON, EdmundA Piece of My Mind Farrar Straus & Cudahy, New York,, 1956. Farrar Straus & Cudahy, New York,, 1956. Reflections at Sixty. Octavo. Original grey cloth, titles to spine in black. With the dust jacket. Some minor staining at the foot of the spine but an excellent copy in the creased and slightly faded dust jacket. First Edition, First Printing. With the author&#39;s signed presentation inscription to the front free endpaper, "To Dorothy Mendenhall with love from Edmund New Year&#39;s Day 1957". With a number of corrections to the text in Wilson&#39;s hand. Review slip laid in. Dorothy Mendenhall was Wilson&#39;s cousin, a respected researcher, obstetrician, and pioneer in methods of childbirth.

Jean CocteauTémoignage Jean Cocteau. Pierre Bertrand Editeur Paris, 1956. Homage to Pablo Picasso in occasion of its seventy-fifth birthday. Limited in 125 numbered copies, of which our copy is marked: H.C. (out of commerce). Illustrated with an original etching by Picasso depicting a nude turned on the back, dated, signed, and inscribed in plate, and an original etching by Paul Lemagny, a portrait of Picasso. Very rare copy, with some stains and minor defects, wrapped in the original worn glassine.

Smith, DodieHundred and One Dalmatians Heinemann, 1956-01-01. First Edition. Hardcover. Good. London: Heinemann, 1956: First Edition, First Printing, in a price clipped dust jacket. In Good overall condition. Clean pages. Name of previous owner in pen on verso of front fly leaf, and on the front flap of the jacket as well. Lean to spine. Light edge wear to boards, a few tiny spots to the front board. The dust jacket shows sunning, foxing and chipping, with tape repairs made from the verso along the rear spine fold where it appears a split once was present. The jacket is now housed in a brand new, removable protective sleeve, and presents well.

Leonard, ElmoreEscape from Five Shadows Houghton Mifflin, 1956-01-01. Hardcover. Very Good. FIRST EDITION. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1956. 213 pp. First edition, first printing. (Dated title page with matching date on copyright page.) Very Good condition hardcover in about Very Good dust jacket. Clean, bright pages. Top edge has a number of small ink blots. Former owner&#39;s name on half-title. Dust jacket lightly chipped at top edge; some rubbing to front panel; back panel has wear spot, light scratching; price-clipped. Jacket is mylar-protected. A nice copy.The third of author Elmore Leonard&#39;s rare Westerns, especially uncommon in collectible condition.

CHURCHILL, Winston SA History of the English-Speaking Peoples London: Cassell and Company Ltd.,, 1956&#150;8. 4 volumes, octavo (230 × 135 mm). Contemporary blue half morocco, spies gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. All volumes illustrated with maps and genealogical tables. Spines faded. An excellent set. First editions, first impressions. A handsomely bound set. Churchill&#39;s history of the two branches of the English-speaking nations &#150; the British Empire and the United States &#150; was begun during his "Wilderness Years" in the early 1930s, but not completed until after his retirement from the political stage in the late 1950s. The events of the Second World War, the major interruption in the writing process, had reconfirmed his belief in the "Special Relationship", "For the second time in the present century the British Empire and the United States have stood together facing the perils of war on the largest scale known among men, and since the cannons ceased to fire and the bombs to burst we have become more conscious of our common duty to the human race." Consequently he gave considerable attention to the key events of American history, around a quarter of the third volume, "The Age of Revolution", is dedicated to the American War of Independence, and a full third of the final volume, "The Great Democracies" contains a detailed study of the American Civil War.

Derriere le Miroir. Nos. 87-88-89. Maeght editeur, Paris 1956 - Three double-page original lithographs and four original single-page lithographs by Miro. Bought decades ago at Maeght Gallery, this issue has been in storage since. The cover and contents are in mint condition. [Attributes: First Edition; Soft Cover]

Winston S. ChurchillA History of the English-Speaking Peoples London: Cassell and Company. Ltd., 1956. First edition, first printing. Hardcover. Near fine/Fine. Here is premium, collector-grade British first edition set of Churchill&#39;s sweeping history and last great work. The first draft was completed just before the Second World War, but the work was not completed and published until after Churchill&#39;s second and final Premiership, nearly 20 years later. The first British edition is regarded as one of the most beautiful productions of Churchill&#39;s works, with tall red volumes and striking, illustrated dust jackets. Churchill seems to have taken an active and detailed interest in the aesthetics of the publication. He told his doctor: "it is not necessary to break the back of the book to keep it open. I made them take away a quarter of an inch from the outer margins of the two pages and then add the half-inch so gained to the inner margin." He was clearly satisfied with the result, remarking with pardonable exuberance "It opens like an angel&#39;s wings." (Gilbert, Volume VIII, p.1184) Unfortunately, as beautiful as the first editions are, they proved somewhat fragile. The dust jackets commonly suffer significant fading, wear, soiling, and spotting, and the books typically bear spotting and fading of the red-stained top edges. This, then, is a set worthy of attention - near-fine plus volumes in remarkably fine dust jackets. This set came to us in extremely old, homemade dust jacket protectors. As a consequence, the dust jackets are virtually as-new - improbably crisp, beautifully clean, entirely unfaded, and showing virtually no wear. Shelf presentation is superlative. One must handle hundreds of sets - as we have - to truly appreciate how rare jackets are in such condition. The sole detraction is tiny, barely discernable tape scars on a few of the dust jacket flaps where tape from the homemade dust jacket protectors made contact with the jacket paper. The dust jackets are now protected in removable, archival quality clear covers. The volumes beneath are likewise noteworthy. The bindings are flawless with sharp corners, bright gilt, and no wear. The contents are bright with no internal spotting. The sole previous ownership mark in the set is a date stamp "Oct 57" on the Volume III ffep. The red topstain remains uniformly dark and unfaded across all four volumes. The sole flaw that prevents our grading these volumes as truly fine is spotting to the fore and top edges. Bibliographic reference: Cohen A267.1(I-IV).a, Woods/ICS A138(aa), Langworth p.315

BEMELMANS, LudwigMadeline and the Bad Hat New York: The Viking Press,, 1956. Tall quarto. Original green cloth boards with, with Madeline illustration to front board, titles to spine in black. Illustrations throughout. An excellent copy showing only the slightest of shelf wear, internally bright and clean. Without the issued slip case. Signed limited edition, preceding the first trade edition. Limited to 985 copies of which 885 were for sale. Ludwig Bemelmans signature to limitation page.

CHURCHILL. WINSTON. S.A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLES. Unrecorded publishers leather presentation bindings. Volume I: The Birth of Britain. Volume II: The New World. Volume III: The Age of Revolution. Volume IV: The Great Democracies. Cassell and Company Ltd. London. 1956-58 - FIRST EDITIONS. Four Volumes. 8vo. (9.7 x 6.3 inches). Finely bound in publishers delux leather binding of full burgundy pebble grain morocco. Spines with gilt lettering, including the publishers name, and ruled lines. Single gilt ruled border on boards. Marbled endpapers. Double gilt ruled borders on inner boards and leather hinges. Top edges gilt. Aside from some minor foxing to the fore-edges this is generally a clean and bright set of Churchill's hugely popular historical work in unrecorded delux publishers leather bindings. Each volume has the initials J. E. stamped in gilt to the bottom outer corner of the front board. Some minor rubbing to the bottom of the spine of volume four but generally a lovely, attractively bound set. ------- Cassell are known to have had copies of Churchill's books bound up for presentation during the late 1940's and 1950's, including 100 sets of his six volume History of the Second World War, as well as the individual War time and post War Speeches volumes. These special bindings were done in small numbers and are scarce. It makes perfect sense that Cassell would have had sets of this work bound for the same purpose and the scarcity may explain why they have not been recorded by Churchill's Bibliographers. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]

Mitchell, MargaretGONE WITH THE WIND Macmillan Company 1956 Wear to bottom of spine. Small closed tear to page 3; Special limited edition published in 1956 commemorating the new headquarters of WSB and WSB-TV in Atlanta, 'White Columns on Peachtree' was the name of the new building ; 8vo - 8" to 9" tall; 1037 pages

Winston S. ChurchillA History of the English-Speaking Peoples London: Cassell and Company. Ltd., 1956. First edition, first printing. Hardcover. Near fine/Fine. Here is premium, collector-grade British first edition set of Churchill&#39;s sweeping history and last great work. The first draft was completed just before the Second World War, but the work was not completed and published until after Churchill&#39;s second and final Premiership, nearly 20 years later. The first British edition is regarded as one of the most beautiful productions of Churchill&#39;s works, with tall red volumes and striking, illustrated dust jackets. Churchill seems to have taken an active and detailed interest in the aesthetics of the publication. He told his doctor: "it is not necessary to break the back of the book to keep it open. I made them take away a quarter of an inch from the outer margins of the two pages and then add the half-inch so gained to the inner margin." He was clearly satisfied with the result, remarking with pardonable exuberance "It opens like an angel&#39;s wings." (Gilbert, Volume VIII, p.1184) Unfortunately, as beautiful as the first editions are, they proved somewhat fragile. The dust jackets commonly suffer significant fading, wear, soiling, and spotting, and the books typically bear spotting and fading of the red-stained top edges. This, then, is a set worthy of attention - near-fine plus volumes in remarkably fine dust jackets. This set came to us in extremely old, homemade dust jacket protectors. As a consequence, the dust jackets are virtually as-new - improbably crisp, beautifully clean, entirely unfaded, and showing virtually no wear. Shelf presentation is superlative. One must handle hundreds of sets - as we have - to truly appreciate how rare jackets are in such condition. The sole detraction is tiny, barely discernable tape scars on a few of the dust jacket flaps where tape from the homemade dust jacket protectors made contact with the jacket paper. The dust jackets are now protected in removable, archival quality clear covers. The volumes beneath are likewise noteworthy. The bindings are flawless with sharp corners, bright gilt, and no wear. The contents are bright with no internal spotting. The sole previous ownership mark in the set is a date stamp "Oct 57" on the Volume III ffep. The red topstain remains uniformly dark and unfaded across all four volumes. The sole flaw that prevents our grading these volumes as truly fine is spotting to the fore and top edges. Bibliographic reference: Cohen A267.1(I-IV).a, Woods/ICS A138(aa), Langworth p.315

Walter SteinA COMMON BOTANY Privately Printed 1956 - A very fine complete collection of 25 original woodblock prints on "Seki-Shu" Japanese paper in a limited edition of 102 of which this is number 47. The prints are housed in a putty colored paper box with a paper title on the spine. The folding cover has separated from the box and has a clear tape attempt at repair. The portfolio contains a title page, contents page, 25 prints and a colophon page (all pages signed and numbered). A few corners with tiny crimps. I believe Mr. Stein has work in many museums and this book is in the Smithsonian. [Attributes: Hard Cover]

CALVINO, ItaloThe Path to the Nest of Spiders Collins, London 1956 - This is the first English-language edition of Calvino's first book, translated from the Italian by Archibald Colquhoun and inscribed by Colquhoun in the year of publication. Tiny corner bumps; a near fine copy in a very good dust jacket with slight spine fading, light chipping to corners and crown, and a small creased edge tear. Colquhoun also translated or co-translated several of Calvino's later books, such as The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees, The Nonexistent Knight, The Watcher, Difficult Loves, Our Ancestors, and Adam, One Afternoon. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]

CHURCHILL, Winston SA History of the English-Speaking Peoples London: Cassell and Company Ltd.,, 1956&#150;8. 4 volumes, octavo. Original red cloth, title gilt to spines, red top-stain. With supplied dust jackets. All volumes illustrated with maps and genealogical tables. A little used, top-stain faded, cloth slightly spotted, volume IV sunned on the spine, foxed on the edges and endpapers, front hinge of volume I cracked but sound. First editions, first impressions. This set inscribed in volumes I, II, and IV, to Percy W. Cox, and signed on the half-title of volume III. The first volume is inscribed to Cox "from his sincere friend" for Christmas 1955, some four months before publication on St. George&#39;s Day, 1956. Percy Cox was Churchill&#39;s trusted land agent and estates manager at Chartwell in the 1940s and 50s, doing much to improve the productivity of the farms, Churchill sending one of his Chartwell Bulletins to Clemmie in 1950, writing that; "A good plan of cultivation is on foot, approved by Mr. Cox who is most helpful" (Gilbert, VIII, p. 523). Churchill&#39;s history of the two branches of the English-speaking nations &#150; the British Empire and the United States &#150; was begun during his "Wilderness Years" in the early 1930s, but not completed until after his retirement from the political stage in the late 1950s. The events of the Second World War, the major interruption in the writing process, had reconfirmed his belief in the "Special Relationship", "For the second time in the present century the British Empire and the United States have stood together facing the perils of war on the largest scale known among men, and since the cannons ceased to fire and the bombs to burst we have become more conscious of our common duty to the human race." Consequently he gave considerable attention to the key events of American history, around a quarter of the third volume, "The Age of Revolution", is dedicated to the American War of Independence, and a full third of the final volume, "The Great Democracies" contains a detailed study of the American Civil War.

Hiroshi HamayaSnow Land (Yukiguni) [Signed] Mainichi Shimbum, Tokyo, Japan 1956 - Softcovered book with an original dustjacket, housed in an original slipcase. The list of the plates' data is included. Signed by Hamaya with a dedication in ink with Japanese brush on its reverse side of the preface. A rectangle sized critique is attached on a front of the slipcase. This slipcase is sunburned and its edges are partly teared and worn. The dustjacket is partly rubbed, especially its spine side is wornsome. However the book itself still keep good condition although some margins are lightly sunburned. [Attributes: First Edition; Soft Cover]

Winston S. ChurchillA History of the English-Speaking Peoples, a full set of four British first editions inscribed and dated by Churchill to his friend and financial advisor London: Cassell and Company. Ltd., 1956. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Here is a beautiful four-volume set of British first editions, inscribed and dated by Churchill in Volume III to his friend and financial advisor Major Arthur Lewis Ball. The five-line inscription inked in blue on the ffep reads: "To / Arthur Lewis Ball / from / Winston S. Churchill / October 1957". A History of the English-Speaking Peoples is Churchill&#39;s sweeping history and last great work. The first draft was completed just before the Second World War, but the work was not completed and published until after Churchill&#39;s second and final Premiership, nearly 20 years later. Major Arthur Lewis Ball, Esq. was Churchill&#39;s friend and financial advisor. Ball was manager of Lloyd&#39;s, Cox&#39;s & King&#39;s Branch at 6 Pall Mall, where Churchill banked. Ball lived at Tunbridge Wells and would call in at Chartwell on his way up to London. There is a good record of Ball&#39;s correspondence with Churchill, particularly in the 1950s when A History of the English-Speaking Peoples was published. When Churchill received the Nobel Prize for Literature and the prize funds were paid into his account at Lloyd&#39;s Bank, Ball wrote to Churchill "I should like to add my congratulations and best wishes" (Letter of 11 December 1953). In 1957, Ball wrote a condolence letter to Churchill regarding his old cavalry unit, the 4th Hussars. Churchill replied on his personal letterhead on 12 August 1957 "I am so much obliged to you for your thought in writing me a letter of condolence on the disappearance of my Regiment as a separate unit. It is indeed sad, and ill-advised. Thank you also very much for your offer to assist me with the non-public funds of the Regiment. I know that they will find this most helpful." Two months later, Churchill would inscribe this first edition, first printing copy of Volume III of A History of the English-Speaking Peoples to Ball. The first British editions are regarded as one of the most beautiful productions of Churchill&#39;s works, with tall red volumes and striking illustrated dust jackets. Unfortunately, while the British first editions were lovely, the books and dust jackets often did not age well. They commonly suffer from significant fading, wear, soiling, and spotting. Even collector grade first editions typically show some modest signs of age or use. This set would be notable for condition even without the author&#39;s inscription. The inscribed Volume III is a particularly stunning example - truly fine in a fine dust jacket. The author&#39;s inscription on the ffep is in excellent condition - unfaded with no age-spreading or smudging of the ink. The red cloth binding is bright, clean, tight, and square with vivid spine gilt, sharp corners, and no visible wear. The contents are crisp, bright, and clean. The red-stained top edge retains strong, unfaded color and extremely clean page edges. Searching for flaws, we find only three tiny spots to the text block fore edge. The unclipped dust jacket is crisp, bright, and clean, with no losses, tears, fading, or soiling. The remaining three volumes in the set are likewise truly fine examples. All three bindings are clean, tight, and square. The contents of all three are clean and bright with absolutely no spotting and no previous ownership marks. The red-stained top edges retain strong color and clean page edges. The dust jackets are all unclipped, bright, complete, with no losses and only fractional wear at extremities. The dust jackets are protected in removable, archival quality clear covers. Bibliographic reference: Cohen A267.1(I-IV).a, Woods/ICS A138(aa), Langworth p.315.